Dangerous springer-spaniel off lead and muzzle after attack

Nicola Horton from Clitheroe is worried about a repeat of the incident in which a springer-spaniel bit her leg last year in October.

The mum of three was walking by the grounds of Clitheroe Castle with her dog Alfie on Sunday when she saw the owner of the dog, who while looking at her, let his dog off the lead again.

She said: “He was spoken to by the police at the time, who told him his dog has to be on a lead and with a muzzle.

“I have kept away from areas where dogs do not have leads and I cannot go back to where it happened.

“To see him looking at me and letting the dog go, I just thought it was not fair.”

At the time of the first incident, Mrs Horton was walking through Primrose Lodge and after seeing school children and parents walking by, she crossed to give them way.

While walking here, another woman with two springer-spaniels not on leads, approached.

The youngest dog ran towards Mrs Horton and Alfie and bit her leg and repeatedly came back to try again.

She said: “I went to pull my dog out of the way and all I remember is feeling a stabbing pain in the back of my leg.

“The woman tried to get her dog away when I realised the back of my leg was wet with blood coming through.

“She just stood there and didn’t help me and when I went to go home, the dog came back to have another go.”

Mrs Horton called the police, who located the male owner and his mum, who was with the dogs at the time of the attack.

The man was visited by police and warned to keep his dogs on leads and with muzzles to prevent another attack.

Conservative Cllr Ian Brown, for the Salthill Ward, said: “The dog obviously should have been muzzled and should not be off leads especially if they have been told by police.

“Hopefully the police are going to do something about it because the injuries looked bad."

“We walk our dogs that way too and people should abide by the rules if their dogs pose a danger to others.”